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Chapter Four

The Road to Hogwarts

Harry's last month before Hogwarts was probably the best time he ever had. Mrs. Figg was nicer to Harry than he had ever remembered her being, he presumed at Faykan's urging. At first Harry was worried about her reaction to all his and Faykan's magical things that they had bought, but when the owls swooped in to deliver their stuff, she didn't bat an eye. Faykan told him when Harry brought it up that she was a squib, or a nonmagic child born to magical parents.

Faykan had outlined all the time during their last two months before school started for both Harry and himself to study their books, and for Harry to practice writing with a quill, because pens tended to react poorly with the kind of parchment used in the wizarding world, and pencils wouldn't show up well either. When they chose to relax from studying, Harry liked to take his owl, which he chose to name Hedwig, outside and watch her fly around. Faykan came too occasionally taking his pet raven, which he called Roac, to join Hedwig in the air.

Harry woke up early the morning of September the first, and was far too excited to go back to sleep. As he crept to out of his room he almost knocked down Faykan, who was about to open Harry's door.

"Cant sleep?" Faykan asked.

"Nope, you?"

"Na, too nervous," Faykan grinned at him. "Get dressed, I'll go and see about getting us some breakfast."

Several minutes later, Harry having decided to wear regular muggle clothes until they got onto the train, he walked into the kitchen following the smells of sausages and eggs that were awaiting him at the table. Neither Faykan nor Harry spoke while they ate, and afterward they returned to their rooms to finish packing up the last of their possessions. When they returned, Mrs. Figg was sitting at the table with a cup of tea sitting in front of her, while she read the Daily Prophet.

"Morning boys," she said happily "Just let me finish up here, and well be on out way to King's Cross."

The car ride went by rather quickly, at least Harry thought so. Faykan helped Harry pack their trunks and bird cages onto two carts and Mrs. Figg waved to them as they entered the station before driving off. They walked briskly until they reached the small area between platforms nine and ten, then Faykan stopped looking puzzled.

"Uh oh," he said worriedly, "Not to worry you, but I believe I forgot how we get onto the platform Harry"

Harry started to panic slightly at that, until they turned as the boys overheard a nearby plump woman talking to a group of four boys as they walked toward the barrier between the platforms. The only reason they even noticed was because she had mentioned the word muggle, and they noticed that they had similar trunks and even owl cages. The boys watched as the bright red haired family walked straight through the solid wall between the platforms one by one, disappearing into it as if it wasn't there.

"Ah ha," Faykan exclaimed, "Now I remember, lets go Harry." They started to the wall they saw the family disappear into, slightly jostled by the crowd. Harry was slightly worried by the seemingly solid wall, but followed behind Faykan quietly until they were right next to the wall. With a little push from his friend, Harry leaned against the wall, and was shocked as he stumbled backward through it, pulling his cart behind him. Turning around to look behind him, his eyes met a scarlet steam engine waiting next to a people packed platform. Someone nudged him from behind, and Harry moved as Faykan came through the wall illusion, grinning like a madman.

Faykan led Harry down the platform until they found an empty compartment, where they stowed their pets and were just lifting Harry's trunk onto the train when one of the red haired boys they'd followed through the barrier came and started to help with the trunk, as they were struggling with it.

"Hey, you two look like you could use a hand. Oof! What you got in this thing, bricks?" The boy joked good-naturedly.

Between the three of them they finally managed to get the trunk into the empty compartment. Panting for breath, the three boys collapsed onto the seats, and Harry brushed his sweaty bangs away from his eyes.

"Hey, what's that on your head?" said the taller, red haired boy, who had finally regained sufficient oxygen to speak.

"Oh, it's nothing." Harry said, moving his hair back to hide the scare the boy partially saw.

Before the boy could press Harry any further, Faykan interjected, "So, who are you then?"

"Oh, sorry, I'm Ron Weasley." The boy said holding his hand out towards Faykan, who took it.

"Faykan Undol." He replied. Ron then turned to Harry, who smiling, took the offered hand and shook it formally.

"And I'm Harry. Harry Potter." Ron's eyes widened in awe as his eyes jumped from Harry's hand to his forehead and back again.

"Then that's where…" he said pointing at his own forehead timidly.

"Yeah it is, but he doesn't remember anything about it." Faykan said for Harry.

"Oh… guess that's probably for the best though, you think?" Ron said, slightly disappointed.

Harry and Ron then spent the next hour questioning each other about the magical world, from Harry, and about living with muggles, from Ron. Faykan sat quietly, letting Harry lead the conversation, and Ron told them about his five brothers Charlie, Bill, Fred, George, and Percy, who all had either left Hogwarts or were in upper years than them. Faykan finally chimed in, asking about the rat that Ron had pulled out of a pocket midway into his and Harry's conversation.

"Oh, this is Scabbers. He used to be Percy's rat, but he got an owl when he was made a prefect, so I got him. He rather useless though…"

Harry had noticed that all of Ron's things looked rather worn and patched in places, but didn't comment on it. He listened as Faykan told Ron about how he and Harry had met, and their time in Diagon Ally.

"Can you believe that his family never told him about his parents or him being a wizard or Voldemort or anything?"

Ron gasped at that.

"What?" said Harry.

"He said You-Know-Who's name!" Ron said, sounding shocked and impressed at the same time.

Faykan just rolled his eyes. "Honestly, it's not like he's the scariest dark lord who ever lived, or even the most powerful. Not saying his name is just stupid."

Just about that time a witch pushing a cart stopped outside their compartment, slid open the door, and said, "Anything off the trolley dears?"

Faykan leaped to his feet and before Harry or Ron could say anything, walked over to the witch and purchase some of everything on the cart for the three of them. Turning back with his arms full of sweets Harry had never seen before, Faykan tipped them on the empty seat next to Ron gestured for Harry to pick what he please. "On me friends," He said.

Harry leaned over to get a good look at some of the candies. What he saw were strange things like Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. The three boys enjoyed picking their way through the pile of sweets. Harry really enjoyed the pasties, and got an 'Albus Dumbledore' card from a Chocolate Frog pack. Ron laughed when Faykan made a face after pouring a large handful of Every Flavor Beans into his mouth all at once and Harry had to slap his back a few times until he could breathe again.

Faykan finally suggested that it was about time that they changed into their robes, so they wouldn't have to at the last minute. As Harry was pulling the robes over his head, he heard Ron give another cry of surprise.

"Bloody hell what's on your back?"

Harry pulled his head through the neck hole to see Ron pointing, horror struck, at Faykan's bare back, him having just removed his shirt. Faykan's back was incredibly pale, but traveling down on either side of his spine were grayish-black spiraling lines, almost like twin intersecting snakes. The lines circled down both his arms, up to his neck, and disappeared below the waistline of his trousers where Harry could only assume that they continued down much farther. Harry wondered why he hadn't ever noticed these before. It occurred to his that he hadn't ever seen Faykan without a long sleeve shirt ever.

"Hmm," Faykan said without any concern. "Oh those, their just tattoos that my family had put on me when I was little, my father and grandfather had similar ones also."

Ron looked like he was going to be sick. Faykan simply shrugged and pulled his robes on to hide them, and Harry could see only the very top of them on either side of his neck.

Just then the compartment door slid open and a round faced boy came in with a bushy haired girl next to him. She was already wearing her robes on and looked very concerned.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, and slightly large front teeth.

Harry and Ron shook their heads, but Faykan had his back turned to her as he was pulling out his wand. The girl, noticing the wand in his hand, ignored both Harry and Ron and focused intently on Faykan.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."

Faykan turned to look at her, slightly puzzled, but recovered quickly.

"Actually no, but if you insist," he said waving the wand in his hand, "Accio Toad!" A second later, a small toad zoomed out of the corridor, past Neville and soared into Faykan's opposite hand.

"Trevor!" Neville cried, holding out his hand for his pet. The girl looked both impressed and slightly shocked. "But, that was a summoning charm… That's fourth year magic. How could you possibly know that? Oh I knew that the extra books I bought weren't going to be enough to catch up." The girl plopped down and actually started to cry.

"Whoa calm down Miss…" Faykan said, sitting next to her comfortingly

"Hermione Granger." She sniffed between sobs.

"…Granger, I'm actually very advanced when it comes to magical learning. I can honestly say that you defiantly will not be behind anyone else." Faykan said softly, patting her arm.

She sniffed again, and wiped her eyes on her robes. "I'm sorry, I'm being silly; of course your right." She said standing up again. "So, what are your names?" she said looking between Faykan, Harry and Ron.

"I'm Faykan Undol," Faykan started, "that's Ron Weasley, and that's Harry Potter." He said pointing to each in turn.

"Are you really?" Hermione said, turning to Harry. "I know all about you, of course. You in three different history books I got for background reading. You see, neither of my parents is magic. It was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased. Do any of you know what house you'll be in? I hope I'm in Gryffindor, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be so bad. Anyway we'd better go, I expect well be arriving soon." She turned to leave, but quickly turned back to Ron and said, "You've got dirt on your nose, did you know? Just there," she said indicating a spot on her own nose. Ron scowled, and rubbed at the spot only after she and Neville left the compartment.

The three boys looked at each other afterward, shrugged and settled back down to wait out the rest of the trip to Hogwarts, but not a few minutes later their compartment door opened again, and the same pale faced boy that Harry and Faykan had seen in Madam Malkin's shop came in, flanked by two of the largest eleven year olds that Harry had ever seen.

"So it's true then," the pale boy said. "You are in this car, Harry."

"Clearly…" Harry said shortly.

The boy turned to his companions then "Wait outside." He said, and they vacated, closing the door behind them and standing outside it. The boy turned back looked slightly nervous, and shifted on his feet several times before finally blurting out. "Look, I'm really sorry for what happened in Diagon Ally. I didn't mean to insult either of you. Had I know who you where I probably wouldn't have even said those things." He had a pleading look in his eyes and Harry could tell he was being sincere, or at least trying to be. Faykan looked as though he wanted to forgive the boy, but he glanced at Harry, saying with his eyes that it was his decision and his alone.

~~Sina tea kirma : This is a line break~~

Draco watched as Harry Potter sat there with his friends, Faykan, and a red haired boy Draco was certain could only be a Weasley. 'Oh goodie, now I'll have to put up with a Weasel if I want to befriend Potter.' Summoning up the last of his courage, Draco let out a short breath and plunged on. "Could we please just start over?" he pleaded, and noticed that Harry was eyeing his two bodyguards who were standing outside the door, buffering anyone away from the compartment by cracking their knuckles menacingly.

"Oh, those are Crabbe and Goyle," Draco said hesitantly, "And my name is Draco, Draco Malfoy." The red haired boy coughed, but it sounded like he was trying to hide a snigger. Draco's cheeks pinked slightly, but he tried his best to ignore him. Harry looked like he wasn't actually considering his offer, and Draco almost was about to turn and leave dejectedly when Faykan spoke up.

"Malfoy…Malfoy where have I heard that name before…" he said tapping his chin in thought. "Oh, I remember my father told me about a Lucius Malfoy he went to Hogwarts with. Wouldn't that be your dad, Draco?"

"Yes actually," Draco said proudly, puffing out his chest a little.

"Hey, Ron didn't you say that your dad and Lucius Malfoy didn't get along too well?" Faykan said to the red haired boy, confirming to Draco that he was indeed Arthur Weasley's progeny.

"Yea," Ron said with a smirk, "my dad said all the Malfoys are nothing but slimy dark wizard gits." Draco balled up his fists in anger, but held his tongue, knowing that the Weasley boy was only trying to goad him into doing something that would tip him out of Potter's favor. His jaw dropped when Faykan spoke again.

"Now, now Ron, don't judge the sons for the sins of their fathers. I'm sure an eleven year old boy couldn't be a dark wizard," turning to Harry, Faykan continued, "I think we should forgive him and let him in our little group, what do you think Harry?"

Harry finally nodded, and agreed. Draco almost let out a whoop of pleasure, but kept his composure. Sitting down at Faykan's request, they started chatting about what they could expect to encounter during their years at Hogwarts. When the subject turned to Quidditch, Ron finally came out of his shell and added in his two cents. Draco noticed that Harry just sat quietly, listening to the by play of his three friends, and he nudged Faykan to point it out.

"Hey Harry," Faykan started, "didn't you know your father played chaser for the Gryffindor team when he was at Hogwarts?" Harry's face lit up at that.

"Really?" he said in awe.

"Yeah," Faykan replied, grinning, "He was a natural flyer from what I heard my dad say. They were at school for only three years together, but he said that he hadn't seen a better flyer in all his years at Hogwarts."

Harry looked like was going to press Faykan for all the information he knew about his dad, when a voice echoed throughout the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time." The voice continued to say that they were expected to leave their luggage on the train, as it would be brought up separately for them.

"So," Faykan said at last as the train started slowing down, "I think we should agree that no matter what houses were put in, we should pledge to always be at least friendly toward each other." Taking a long look at both Ron and Draco, he continued, "Also, I think we should not allow past events or family matters dissuade us from doing what we see fit concerning what happens at Hogwarts, agreed?"

Draco saw Harry nodding almost immediately, so he immediately accepted the terms also. Turning to Ron, who had a small scowl on his face directly at Draco, Harry poked him slightly in the stomach, and he jumped. "Oh, alright then." He said finally, and they all shook hands on it.

~~Sina tea kirma : This is a line break~~

The four boys crammed the last remnants of the sweets into their pockets and left the compartment, to join the throng of vacating students.

"I'll see you when we get inside." Draco called, moving over to Crabbe and Goyle, and they moved off back to their own compartment, presumably to get some of their own things before disembarking.

Harry shivered in the cold night air as they left the train. Then Faykan pointed out a lamp that came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a loud booming voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All Firs' years over to me" A giant man came wading through the sea of students, and Faykan, Ron, and Harry scrambled over to look up at him. The giant man beamed down when he saw Harry.

"An' here's Harry!" the giant said "Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby, yeh look a lot like yet dad, but yeh've got yet mom's eyes."

"And, who might you be?" Faykan said, slightly defensively, as he moved to stand next to Harry.

"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

Hagrid, then called out again for first years to follow him, and he led them all down a narrow path to the edge of a great black lake. Faykan talked with Hagrid as they walked, questioning him about his job as gamekeeper, and many other things. Hagrid had all the children pile in four to a boat, which were sitting on the edge nearest their group. Faykan, Ron and Harry piled into a boat, to be followed later by the bushy haired Hermione. After everyone was seated, Hagrid's loud voice boomed out the command for the boats to move forward across the lake all on their own.

Everyone was quite as the boats rounded a corner, and many people gasped as the magnificent cast emerged into their view. They all got out when the boats reached and underground harbor, directly underneath the castle, and they followed the bobbing light of Hagrid's lamp until they reached the huge oak front doors.